Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-08-03
was slack. and had a hard time, Har


yey, my youngest boy, he worked for
man that moved out West, and he
went along. and has been doing first
rate; owns land of his own now, and
he wrote back TO Jack that IL was q
good place out there for carpenters; so
he went, and now they both wrote for
me TO come and they would take care
OF me the rest of my life. They sent
me the money, and I've been calculat-
ing to go for quite a spell, but some
way 1 didn't get started, and now
shan't ever 60"
"Can do any thing for your said
Mrs. Alden.
mo" said he, "only il 1 could
DC buried beside Hannah, and If you
would please let me see the child again,
l should be so glad, and then can tell
Hannah all about her."
"You shall have your wish, Mr.. Will
son, and Rose will be here in the
morning and stay awhile with you
IL won't tell her I am her father"
said the sick man.
Mrs. Alden went home and that
night she went to Roses room and sur
prised her by asking her if she loved
her very dearly.
"Why, my own precious mamma, I
love you better than any thing else in
the world" cried Rose, as she threw
her arms around Mrs. Alden.
Darling. 1 promised to give you
this box when you were eighteen years
old. There are reasons why l think it
best to anticipate your birthday a lit
tie. will leave you alone while you
examine it; but will be glad to see
you in my dressing-room afterwards. !"
1t was sore trial to Mrs. Alden to
tell her treasure that she was not in
truth her own mother In a short time
Rose hurriedly entered the room, and
fondly kissing Mrs. Alden she ex-
claimed, amidst her sobs:
my own darling mamma; you are
dearer than ever; and what patience
you and dear papa have had with me
all these years, and how lily 1 have re-
paid you"
my precious child, you have been,
and are, the sunshine of our lives"
"Wcll," said Rose, "if l couldn't be
your very own child, 1 am glad my
mother was such good woman"
And together they read Hannah's let
ter, every line in its very pathos
breathing the strong, wise spirit Of the
writer.
Eyes, Rose, she was good woman,
and believe she would not be disap-
pointed If she could see you now"
"But oh, mamma, how can / be thank
full enough that you took me?"
A picture of John and Hannah taken
when they were first married, her we'd
ding ring, one of Roses first shoes,
and little golden curl marked "our
baby girls" were in the box. Mrs.
Alden told her all she knew of the cir
cumstances, and when Rose again cx-
pressed her joy that the lines had fallen
to her in such pleasant places, Mrs.
Alden said:
Gods finger has been in it all, and
He makes no mistakes. But, dearest,
have you no thought of the unselfish
father who bravely put away from him
his greatest joy; for l know he loved
his baby girl dearly. If he were alive
and in trouble, do you think you could
go to him and comfort himp"
mamma, what makes you talk so;
you don't mean, oh surely you don't
mean that poor man at the hospitalP"
Mrs. Alden told her all the converse
ton and then said:
1T is very late now, my love, you
must go to bed, and in the morning we
will 90 together to the hospital and
you can act just as you feel; the poor
man will not know that l have told
YOU"
Upon entering the ward early the
next morning Mrs. Alden's experienced
eye noticed a change in the suffering
man, and she whispered to Rose:
"The end is almost here, can you
stand itp'
As Rose approached the bed, Mr..
Wilson's eyes frightened, and holding
out his hand which gitspod the faded
blossoms of yesterday. he said:
"Iv'e got 'em yet. Thought, you see,
l would like to take 'em to Hannah,
and tell her about it."
The appeal in the poor, weak face
was too much for Rose, and STOPPING
over him she said:
"Tell her, too, that your daughter
gave them to you, and that she knew
| her father, and came to nurse him."